<p>Yesterday I was deferred from Duke, and I had been planning on using the same essay I wrote on the common app for the Notre Dame essay. However, now that I was deferred, I guess I have less confidence in it. Do you guys think I should write a new one just for ND, or would it hurt that much to submit that one? </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I used my common app essay for ND...and then about a week after I sent my application one of the admissions officers told me that they like to see that you directed your letter towards ND - i'm not sure exactly how you do that, though.</p>
<p>My son used the same essay for ND and the common app (BC) and did not make it college-specific. His essay shows his qualitites in a way that the reader could see him fitting in at that school, I think. He just didn't have the room to be school specific in that essay...He had to chop it down from over 1000 words to begin with. He used the "add'l. info" section on ND's to be more specific about "why nd". He got in early to both.</p>